If things were different
by randomemovampire-elf
Summary: What if Harry never went to live with the dursleys when James and Lily died? What if the Grangers adopted him instead? Would things have been different?


**Woo! My first hp fanfic ever! This is based on JKR's original idea that when Voldemort killed Harry's parents they were living on an island and the grangers were living on the mainland and saw the explosion.**

It was 1:35 am on 31st October, 1981.

Daniel and Ella Granger lay, asleep, in bed. They were both successful dentists, had one daughter and lived on the Norfolk coast, away from anyone except the family on the island.

About half a mile out to sea, there was an Island. Originally it had been abandoned but then the Potters came. James and Lily Potter had bought the island and built a mansion on it. Not that they needed it, it was only them and their only son Harry. He was just a few months younger than Dan and Ella's own daughter Hermione.

The Potters were extremely nice people, even for their wealth, and Ella talked to them often, but it always seemed as though they were hiding something.

Then came the explosion.

Dan and Ella were alert immediately, rushing to the window. Simultaneously, their mouths dropped open as they saw the thick, black, cloud of smoke, rising from the Potters house. Ella turned around to see her husband putting his coat on.

"Dan, where are you going?" she muttered, her eyes glistening with tears.

"Out to the island, I have to see if they are ok."Dan answered, whilst pulling on his boots.

"Alright, be careful, I hope they're ok." Ella whispered, the tears beginning to fall.

Dan kissed her forehead and strode out of the door. Ella heard his footsteps down the stairs and then the door open and close. She turned back to the window and watched him until he disappeared behind a cluster of trees.

Then she turned around, picked up the phone and dialled 999.

* * * * * *

Dan pushed his small rowing boat out from the jetty and then jumped into it and picked up the wooden oars. The rough waves carried him a little way out before he began to use the oars. The white topped waves battered the flimsy boat from side to side and very nearly capsized him several times. The wind howled and black shapes swirled above him like spirits. But finally, after much hard work, he managed to reach the rocky island and when he did, he looked on in dismay, the magnificent house that the potters had built for themselves was almost totally destroyed, the blackened door swung broken on its hinges and the windows were blasted through.

Cautiously, Dan stepped out of the boat and over the threshold, his and covering his mouth and nose, so as to avoid inhaling any of the soot that covered everything.

Dan gasped as he beheld the sight before him.

The body of James Potter lay in front of him, eyes blank and arms sprawled awkwardly behind him. Clearly, he was dead. Tears filled Dan's eyes at this sight but he refused to let them fall as he checked the body for signs of injury, but he failed to find any. Perhaps he had died from smoke inhalation.

Straightening up, Dan began to climb the stairs to the upper floor.

He opened the first door, to find it empty and then the second was the same but when he opened the third door, he was met by a strange, yet familiar noise. It took him a minute to realise that it was a baby crying. He let out a sigh of relief. _At least Harry is alive._ He thought, as he opened the door tentatively.

The tears that he had stopped from falling previously, could not deny gravity as Dan observed the body of Lily Potter splayed across the floor, arms spread wide in front of the cot that held her son. Quickly, Dan stepped over her body and lifted Harry out of the cot and rocked him gently to stop him crying. Dan bent carefully next to Lily's body.

"Don't worry," Dan whispered "Harry will be safe." A tear dripped onto her hair as he straightened up and turned around. Still cradling Harry, he walked out of the door and back down the stairs. With a last glance at James' body he stepped out of the door and began the journey back home, this time with Harry in his arms. The storm had calmed slightly and it was easier to control the boat, even with the child in his arms, so it took only 10 minutes to reach the mainland.

Dan clambered awkwardly out of the boat and dragged it up the shore, before continuing up to his house.

* * * * * *

"Thank you." Ella said into the phone, before putting back down. She walked over to the window and smiled as she saw her husband walking towards the house with a bundle of blankets in his arms. She hurried down the stairs and opened the door. Her smile dropped when she saw the tears in Dan's eyes. When he reached the door, he took a deep breath.

"James and Lily are dead." He whispered, sorrow filling his eyes.

Tears dripped down Ella's face.

"And Harry?"

Dan pulled the top layer of blankets off of the bundle and revealed the face of Harry, with a lightning bolt shaped scar upon his forehead.

"Oh my.........." muttered Ella.

"Lily and James' bodies had no injury, I don't know how they died, but Lily's arms were spread out in front of Harry's cot, as if trying to protect him."

"Poor boy, he has no parents, no home. He'll probably be sent to those awful aunt and uncle that L-Lily mentioned to me once. The police are on their way, they'll take him to them."

Ella took Harry from her husband and cradled him in her left arm. She wrapped her right around Dan's waist and buried her head in his chest. She cried, tears streaming down her face and soaking her husbands shirt.

A loud squawk broke the silence as a large tawny owl flew across the room and dropped a letter on the dining table.

Removing her head from her husband's chest, Ella rushed across the room and, handing Harry to Dan, picked up the letter and tore it open, pulling out the sheet of thick parchment inside.

Unfolding the letter, she began to read aloud.

"Dear Mr. and Mrs. Granger.

I would first like to thank you for rescuing Harry from the ruins of James and Lily's house and for the kindness that you have shown them.

Secondly, I would like to inform you that in the hour since their deaths, I have read James and Lily's wills and that they state that they would like Harry to be looked after by a friend of their family and not by the Dursleys (Harry's aunt and uncle.) I know that they considered you both very close friends and that they would wish for you to become Harry's guardians, that is, if you would like to be.

I hope that you would agree that this is a good idea, for I am sure that Harry, and Hermione will become great friends and that Hermione will keep Harry from going astray in the years to come.

Lastly, I must warn you that Harry is not like other children, and nor is Hermione, strange things will undoubtedly happen around them but you should not be worried, all will be explained when they turn 11.

Yours faithfully

Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore

Headmaster of Hogwarts School."

"What the hell is Hogwarts?"

Thank you for reading, if there are any spelling mistakes in this chapter, please tell me. Thank you!


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